Dispenser pack for pre-moistened towelettes

ABSTRACT

Dispenser pack for edge-folded pre-moistened tissues or towelettes, comprising a tray, a removable cover having an access opening, and a flexible re-sealable closure flap larger than and covering the opening preventing the contents from drying out but being easily pushed back by the finger to allow the finger access to the top-most tissue or towelette by catching an edge thereof. The flap is of a material tending to maintain its planarity and thus automatically recloses when released.

United States Patent 1191 Harrison June 25, 1974 1 DISPENSER PACK FORPRE-MOISTENED TOWELETTES [75] Inventor: Thomas S. Harrison, New Canaan,

Conn.

[73] Assignee: Sterling Drug Inc., New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Oct. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 295,814

52 us. c1 ..206/449, 221/63, 229/7 R, 2 ,7 ,22 9,/ AB 0L812 51 1111.01865d 85/00 [58] Field of Search..... 118/264; 206/57 R; 221/45, 221/46,47, 48, 63, 307; 229/7 R, 17 R, 44

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,519,261 8/l950 Lorrance221/63 2,970,737 2/1961 Rice 229/7 R 2,983,419 5/1961 Bergstein 229/7 R3,139,208 6/1964 Irwin et al 220/385 X leased.

3,172,563 3/1965 Harwood 206/57 R X 3,239,097 3/1966 Bates et a1. 221/483,325,003 6/1967 Bilezerian 206/57 R 3,635,567 1/1972 Richardson, Jr.206/56 AA X 3,726,395 4/1973 Duhy 206/57 R X Primary ExaminerWilliam 1.Price Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman Attorney, Agent, orFirmCharles R. Fay

[5 7] ABSTRACT Dispenser pack for edge-folded pre-moistened tissues ortowelettes, comprising a tray, a removable cover having an accessopening, and a flexible re-sealable closure flap larger than andcovering the opening preventing the contents from drying out but beingeasily pushed back by the finger to allow the finger access to thetop-most tissue or towelette by catching an edge thereof. The flap is ofa material tending to maintain its planarity and thus automaticallyrecloses when re- 18 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures l li'nl 7 11111111111111.

I ll I 111111 111111 PATENTEDJUNZSISH SHEE! 1 0F 2 FIG. 2

PATENTEBJUHZS @914 SHEEI 2 OF 2 FIG; 6

DISPENSER PACK FOR PRE-MOISTENED TOWELETTES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a tray Pre-moistenedtowelettes in individual impermeable 5 has a bottom 12, front and rearwalls as at 14, I4, and

envelopes are well known, and also available there is a container for aplurality of tissues or towelettes in the form of a long web perforatedat intervals, that has special dispenser closure means to keep thecontents moist. In some cases, it would be preferable to provide a stackof pre-moistened edge folded, individual tissues, etc., withdrawable oneat a time from a container, but the problem is to also provide a simpleefficient reseal for the access opening through which the tissues arewithdrawn, e.g., by the finger, for preserving the moisture of theremaining towelettes, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A box or tray having a close fitting coverholds a stack of individual separate, edge infolded tissues, towelettes,etc., the folds and the edges of the tissues, etc. extending lengthwiseof the tray and both tray and contents being preferably rectangular.Where the towelettes are C-folded, both edges of each towelette arespaced to some extent. They lie adjacent the central axis of the cover,and are uppermost in the stack. Where the towelettes are J-folded, thereis but a single folded edge.

The cover has a generally central access opening in it and this openingis preferably oval with its greater axis perpendicular to the fold axisof the towelettes. Thus it is very easy for a user to obtain a toweletteby catchingits edge with the tip of the finger or by the finger nail,whether they are C-folded or J -folded.

To ensure that the dispenser contents remain moist, a flexible flapcovers the opening and acts as a seal. This flap is hinged to an edgeportion of the cover on an axis e.g., parallel to the folds in thetowelettes, and is of a material that tends to maintain its planarity sothat it always closes automatically over the opening but is easilyflipped open by the finger. The flap overlaps the edges of the openingto a degree that ensures a seal tight enough to ensure against dryingout the dispenser contents.

A modificationin the flap is to form a slight depression in the flap ofthe same shape as the opening in the cover, so that a tap of the fingerwould actually plug the opening; and in fact the edge of the depressurecould be undercut to a slight degree to be snapped into secureengagement with the edge of the opening.

The hinge for the flap may be provided by the flap itself where the flapis heat sealed e.g. along an edge thereof adjacent the access opening;another way to form a simple inexpensive hinge is to tape the flap inplace. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective viewshowing the dispenser flap open in solid lines and closed in brokenlines;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the flap open;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a modification of the flap;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating another modification of theflap;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a modification of the hinge for theflap; and

FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of the flap and hinge of FIG. 5 with theflap closed.

end walls l6, 16. This tray or box should be impervious. It may have alike cover 18, or it may be closed with a top member, but in either casethere is an opening 20 for access to the contents of the dispenser.

The pre-moistened edge infolded towelettes or tissues are indicated at22 and in the case of C-folds, have the two edges 24, 26 that extendparallel to each other and to the tissues, etc., as a result of beingoverfolded inwardly at the edge portions thereof. The edges 24, 26 areexposed in the opening 20 for ready pickup by the finger of the user.The terms tissues and towelettes herein are interchangeable, and theymay be either C- folded or J-folded.

The opening 20 has a dimension transverse to the tissues and their edgesthat is greater than the dimension that is parallel to the tissues andtheir edges, as seen in FIG. 2, and this facilitates the extraction ofthe tissues, because the user will tend to pick up the tissues bycatching an edge 24 or 26.

A flap 28 covers the opening 20. This flap is flexible and has a memoryto cause it to maintain this planarity, as shown in broken lines inFIGS. 1 and 2. By well overlapping the opening edges, it forms a sealthat maintains the moisture in the towelettes or tissues, and the flapautomatically re-closes when released.

The flap is hinged at one side edge to the cover or top, e.g., by heatsealing as at 30, and the remainder of the flap is free of the cover ortop. It is flat when not in use. The finger of the user easily flicksthe flap back toward the hinge area 30 and with substantially the samemotion, reaches into the tray to catch an edge, in this case edge 24, toextract one single towelette. Upon removal of the finger, the flapautomatically recloses and reseals the opening, so that the contents donot dry out.

To further enhance the sealing action of the flap, a depression as at 32could be molded into the flap 28' with the same shape as the opening toprotrude into the opening to some extent, see FIG. 3. This depressionmay also be undercut as at 34 in FIG. 4, so that by a slight tap of thefinger the depression in flap 28" snaps down into the opening 20",insuring a tighter seal.

This invention relates to pre-moistened towelettes folded in any waythat will provide at least one edge of the towelette accessible throughthe opening 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the towelettes are C-folded, thatis, the edges are partially folded over, as at 24 and 26 in FIG. 1.Another manner of folding is illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein thetowelettes are folded at one edge only as at 36, providing a single edge38 crossing the opening 40. In this case, the edge may be locatedanywhere convenient for grasping by the finger tip and may be foldedover from either edge. As shown, the towelettes 42 are alternated,presenting edges that are near the center of the opening 40, but fromalternate sides of the box 44. However all the towelettes may be foldeduniformly at the same relative edge if desired, especially if it shouldbe more convenient to have the folds extend from the front side 46 ofthe box so as to place the edge 38, like that at 24, facing to the rearor flap side of the container for easier pick up by the finger nail,e.g.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the flap 28" is of similar material to the previouslydescribed flaps but is held to the top or cover of the container by anadhesive strip, tape, or the like as at 48. This provides a greaterflexibility but the flap automatically returns to closed position asbefore.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for pre-moistened edge folded towelettes comprising acontainer having a top, an opening in the top, towelettes therein beingarranged each to present an exposed edge transversely of the opening,

a flexible flap having an edge secured to the container adjacent theopening, said flap being freeended and being of a material tending tomaintain a planar position on the container top in contact therewith,said flap being of greater extent than the opening, covering the openingand overlapping all the edges thereof, the unsecured portion of the flapbeing displaceable to give access to the opening.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the towelettes are separate fromeach other.

3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein the towelettes are C-folded.

4. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein the towelettes are J-folded.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the flap is hinged to the container.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the flap is heat sealed to thecontainer.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 including an adhesive strip securing theflap to the container.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 including a depression in the flap of thesize and shape of the opening.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein the depression includes undercutedges matching the edges of the opening for snapping thereinto.

10. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the opening has a longer dimensiontransverse to the exposed edges of the towelettes than its dimensionparallel to the edges of the towelettes.

11. The dispenser of claim 10 wherein the flap is secured to thecontainer in a position to flex on an axis at right angles to the largerdimension of the opening.

12. The dispenser of claim 10 wherein the secured edge of the flap isadjacent an end of the opening on the longer dimension, the secured edgeof the flap being generally parallel to the shorter dimension of theopenmg.

13. A dispenser for pre-moistened separate towelettes comprising a tray,

a cover therefor,

an opening in the cover having a longer dimension and a shorterdimension,

a flexible flap greater in extent than the opening and secured to thecover adjacent the opening along an edge of the flap that isperpendicular to the longer dimension of the opening and normallyoverlying the opening and overlapping all the edges thereof,

the flap being of a material that yields to uncover the opening butmaintains planar contact with the cover about the opening when released.

14. The dispenser of claim 13 wherein the flap is heat sealed to thecover.

15. The dispenser of claim 13 including a tape securing the flap to thecover.

16. The dispenser of claim 13 including a depression in the flap formingan edge fitting the opening.

17. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein the edge of the depression isundercut for snapping past the edge of the opening.

18. The dispenser of claim 13 wherein the towelettes are arranged topresent successive edges intersecting the opening along lines extendingacross the shorter dimension of the opening.

Notiee 0f Adverse Decision in Interference In Interference No. 99,184involving Patent No. 3,819,043, T. S. Harrison, DISPENSER PACK FORPRE-MOISTENED TOVVELETTES, final judgment adverse to the patentee Wasrendered May 9, 197 8, as to claims 1, 5 and 11-13.

[Oficial Gazette October 17, 1978.]

1. A dispenser for pre-moistened edge folded towelettes comprising acontainer having a top, an opening in the top, towelettes therein beingarranged each to present an exposed edge transversely of the opening, aflexible flap having an edge secured to the container adjacent theopening, said flap being free-ended and being of a material tending tomaintain a planar position on the container top in contact therewith,said flap being of greater extent than the opening, covering the openingand overlapping all the edges thereof, the unsecured portion of the flapbeing displaceable to give access to the opening.
 2. The dispenser ofclaim 1 wherein the towelettes are separate from each other.
 3. Thedispenser of claim 2 wherein the towelettes are C-folded.
 4. Thedispenser of claim 2 wherein the towelettes are J-folded.
 5. Thedispenser of claim 1 wherein the flap is hinged to the container.
 6. Thedispenser of claim 1 wherein the flap is heat sealed to the container.7. The dispenser of claim 1 including an adhesive strip securing theflap to the container.
 8. The dispenser of claim 1 including adepression in the flap of the size and shape of the opening.
 9. Thedispenser of claim 8 wherein the depression includes undercut edgesmatching the edges of the opening for snapping thereinto.
 10. Thedispenser of claim 1 wherein the opening has a longer dimensiontransverse to the exposed edges of the towelettes than its dimensionparallel to the edges of the towelettes.
 11. The dispenser of claim 10wherein the flap is secured to the container in a position to flex on anaxis at right angles to the larger dimension of the opening.
 12. Thedispenser of claim 10 wherein the secured edge of the flap is adjacentan end of the opening on the longer dimension, the secured edge of theflap being generally parallel to the shorter dimension of the opening.13. A dispenser for pre-moistened separate towelettes comprising a tray,a cover therefor, an opening in the cover having a longer dimension anda shorter dimension, a flexible flap greater in extent than the openingand secured to the cover adjacent the opening along an edge of the flapthat is perpendicular to the longer dimension of the opening andnormally overlying the opening and overlapping all the edges thereof,the flap being of a material that yields to uncover the opening butmaintains planar contact with the cover about the opening when released.14. The dispenser of claim 13 wherein the flap is heat sealed to thecover.
 15. The dispenser of claim 13 including a tape securing the flapto the cover.
 16. The dispenser of claim 13 including a depression inthe flap forming an edge fitting the opening.
 17. The dispenser of claim16 wherein the edge of the depression is undercut for snapping past theedge of the opening.
 18. The dispenser of claim 13 wherein thetowelettes are arranged to present successive edges intersecting theopening along lines extending across the shorter dimension of theopening.